Youth cannabis use and subsequent health service use for mood and anxiety disorders: A population-based cohort study

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • André J. McDonald - , University of Toronto, McMaster University (Author)
  • Paul Kurdyak - , University of Toronto, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (Author)
  • Jürgen Rehm - , Chair of Behavioral Epidemiology, University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), TUD Dresden University of Technology, University of Hamburg, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Author)
  • Michael Roerecke - , University of Toronto (Author)
  • Susan J. Bondy - , University of Toronto (Author)

Abstract

Epidemiologic research suggests a modest association between youth cannabis use and mood and anxiety disorders (MADs). However, current evidence is based mostly on cohort studies using data from the 20th century when cannabis was significantly less potent than today. We linked population-based survey data from 2009 to 2012 with administrative records of health services covered under universal healthcare up to 2017. The cohort included youth aged 12 to 24 years at baseline living in Ontario, Canada with no prior MAD health service use (n = 8,252). We conducted a multivariable Cox model to estimate the association between cannabis use frequency (never, <weekly, weekly+) and MAD health service use (hospitalization, ED visit, or outpatient physician visit) in the following 3 years, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and other substance use. Compared to no cannabis use, <weekly use was significantly associated with subsequent MAD health service use (aHR=1.48; 95 % CI: 1.10–1.99) while weekly+ use was not (aHR=0.92; 95 % CI: 0.63–1.34). Sex and age interactions were not significant on the multiplicative or additive scales. This study found a modest longitudinal association between youth cannabis use and MAD health service use but no evidence of a linear dose-response relationship. Further research is needed to clarify these findings.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number115694
JournalPsychiatry research
Volume332
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 38176165

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Anxiety disorders, Cannabis, Mood disorders, Psychiatry, Youth